Workforce housing is a major problem in Orange County. It is essential to a sustainable, functional local economy. Just ask the Orange County Business Council.

Earlier this month, the community center in San Juan Capistrano served as the venue for a public community dialog about housing organized by The South Orange County Alliance for Housing Our Communities, with the woefully brutal acronym SOCAHOC, which, the emcee soon told the audience, was pronounced “Sok-a-whok.” Like I said: brutal. But that’s neither here nor there.

The point was to host a public discussion of “cities’ legal responsibilities to develop affordable homes in response to economic, environmental, transportation and social demand.” The format of the event started with a few minutes of open conversation at each of the 15 or so round tables in the room, with the objective of having each table write down questions for the panel. Then came some opening remarks, a moderator and a panel of four presenters.

The mayor of San Juan Capistrano, Mark Nielsen, gave opening remarks and offered some context for the day’s discussion. Some highlights:

• Orange County income threshold for affordable housing: $65k per year for a family of 4
• Housing isn’t just a policy “issue,” it is at the base of Maslow’s pyramid of needs: shelter
• There are inherent problems with in-lieu fees as an alternative to fulfulling regulatory housing requirements
• Renovating a neighborhood with fair housing covenants is an idea whose time has come because it can:

1. uplift existing neighborhoods
2. provide economic stimulus for local tradesmen
3. increase affordable workforce housing
4. meet regulatory and social responsibilities

Bring Your Company to OC. Leave Your Employees Behind
The moderator was Michelle Hart, Director of External Affairs at the Orange County Business Council. In her initial remarks Ms. Hart commented that her organization gets several inquiries each week from companies who are interested in relocating their businesses to Orange County. The conversation invariably crescendos with excitement as they talk about all the advantages OC has, until they learn the overall housing costs. Then those conversations crash and burn.

The lack of workforce housing options in Orange County is an obstacle to economic growth in Orange County.

Affordable/Inclusionary/Workforce/Fair/Senior Housing
Dr. Victoria Basolo, Associate Professor, UCI Dept. of Planning, Policy and Design, discussed how affordable housing fits into the overall process of community revitalization. In very general terms, these factors tend to generate “positive effects:”

• Projects of under 200 units (larger tend toward negative effect)
• Higher quality design and management
• Structures not heavily concentrated in one location
• Structures designed to fit in the character of an existing area

Another question is: How do we define “positive or negative effects” of affordable housing? Almost exclusively, studies of this question have measured only property values in the surrounding area. Are there other ways to measure the “effect” of inclusionary housing on the neighborhoods where they are created? How do surrounding residents feel about workforce housing some time after they are lived in, for example? Dr. Basolo had some interesting things to say about that question.

Also, there are some policy problems with the government programs that fund inclusionary housing, namely that most programs require a project to include a large number of units in order to qualify for funding, despite the fact that the data show high concentrations of these units tend not to benefit overall revitalization.

Legislative Landscape
David Barquist presented an overview of the regulations currently in place regarding housing and sketched out the landscape of new and pending legislation, largely focusing on SB375 and regional planning initiatives. This will have an impact on local governments in ways that are not yet clear and are causing a lot of debate. The undeniable fact that workforce housing is a regional issue (not just a city-by-city issue) and therefore should be addressed on a regional level adds complexity to the effort to implement solutions.

Green Building Practices
Phyllis Alzamora, Executive Director of the Urban Land Institute, spoke about the costs of not doing environmentally sensitive development, and the benefits of doing so? Here is a video clip of her presentation (sorry, don’t have her slides).

The costs of continuing to develop housing with no regard for sustainability include obesity and losses because of climate change. Building healthy communities means connecting people to jobs, promoting walking and biking, and creating opportunities for people to connect and fortify a sense of community.

• A Center for Housing Policy study from 2006 figures that for working families earning $20-50k/yr in the Los Angeles area, 59% is spent on housing and transportation. That leaves only 40% for food, clothing, healthcare, and everything else in life.
• Every dollar saved by working families through finding lower cost housing, .79 is added in transportation cost
• “Drive until you qualify” is not a viable approach to a live/work balanced life.

“Housing has always been this competitive sport and there has always been a negative connotation to being small.” There is a movement afoot now to live in smaller homes as a response to the credit crunch, rising energy prices, and global warming. “The small house movement and small house blogs are teaching people to live with less. Many are being built with vintage or salvage materials,” which might last longer and definitely have less overall environmental impact.

Benefits of building green?

• 40% of raw materials humans consume are used in construction
• 40% of builders say green building helps them market their homes in a down market
• Smaller, taller homes built closer to transit sources preserve more open space and wildlife habitat

Ms. Alzamora also reported that Met Life built some market rate rental apartments in Irvine which include a community garden, gourmet cooking classes, a dog park, community room and fitness centers. A number of builders are looking at community gardens as a way to eat and live healthy, “but it isn’t enough to just have some garden space, because many of us don’t even know how to cook them anymore.”

A quiet chuckle slowly rolled through the room. She paused and said, “I know, it’s a nervous laugh, isn’t it?”

Dana Point Town Center Computer Rendering

Dana Point California has big plans to renovate its commercial town core. Several years of collaborative, public planning have been translated into a comprehensive plan by the urban design firm ROMA Design Group.

The plan has been finalized (click here to see the PDF file), approved by the City Council, and approved by the California Coastal Commission. The City of Dana Point’s Public Works department is in the process of planning the construction work on the streets and sidewalks and is gathering bids from contractors to do that work.

Because of the overall economic crisis and the California state budget crisis, it is unlikely any contracts will be awarded soon, however. It is just a matter of time, however.

There are many, many aspects to the plan, from land-use regulations to sustainability incentives to public art to parking issues.

Today, let’s look at one aspect: wayfinding (in the crushingly strict vocabulary of urban planning).

Way Finding. Way-Finding. Wayfinding. Whatever.

The basic idea of wayfinding is: “the user experience of orientation and choosing a path” while navigating a built environment, or in this case, a small town. In a word, we’re talking mostly about signage.

Wayfinding can sometimes be accomplished through design techniques less overt than signage, of course, but roughly speaking, wayfinding signage is the main method.

So, the Dana Point Town Center Plan sketches out a compelling image of the community as manifested in a commercial center, including a reflection of our natural beauty, unique character and our history.

Signage, especially wayfinding signage, play a huge roll in establishing the look-and-feel and personality of the area.

Something to Consider

In an article published in the Dana Point Historical Society’s newsletter, The News Drogher, Vice-President Barbara Force Johannes, asks some important questions.

“But what historic resources do we have that establish the character of the City of Dana Point and its relationship with the harbor that could enhance the economy of our community?”

“How do we convey our historic memories to our citizens and visitors?”

“Historic resources or districts encourage tourists to stay longer and spend more money while visiting. Such resources create in visitors a desire to return.”

“Sustainable tourism strategies include buildings, landscapes, and roads that give a sense of our city’s place in history and identify the unique character of our community, contributing to its attraction as a unique tourist destination.”

“Many businesses can be located anywhere, and what does Dana Point offer to attract knowledge-based businesses to our community?”

“The City Council has adopted the Town Center Plan that recommends the restoration and preservation of the historic buildings and structures in Town Center.”

These are all great observations and important questions for all of us in Dana Point to ponder. And to put a fine point on my reason for writing this blog post, Ms. Johannes asks:

“What are the next steps in preserving the local character of Woodruff’s Dana Point?”

Please share your thoughts about these questions in the comments section below.

What’s more, I wonder if anyone would be interested in organizing a formal effort to talk with ROMA and everyone involved with the Town Center project, to create the most complete and effective wayfinding plan we can… including one that includes a full consideration of the questions Ms. Johannes asked here.

I am interested and will gladly join in! How about you?

iHOPE Orange Clounty, iHOPEoc.org

If you need medical attention and cannot afford it, or are lacking health insurance, come to the Saddleback Memorial Medical Center in San Clemente on Wednesday June 17 between 5-8:30 pm.

If you know any homeless or working poor who need medical attention, please take a minute and pass along this information.

Even better, if you can, offer to drive someone there and back.

PRINT A FLYER:
Click here to view and print a PDF of the info, and hand these out where you think they might help.

From the iHOPE organization’s website:

iHOPE is a grassroots organization dedicated to providing basic services to the homeless and working poor in South Orange County, with a mission to:

1. Provide basic services without judgment to all homeless and working poor in the community.
2. Alleviate unnecessary and unacceptable social conditions.
3. Raise awareness in the community of our neighbors in need.
4. Empower community advocates.

iHOPE sent out this information about the event:

If you can’t afford to see a doctor…
If you need health insurance…
Come to the:
Free Mobile Clinic
Wednesday, June 17, 5-8:30 p.m.
Where:
Saddleback Memorial Medical Center—San Clemente
654 Camino de los Mares, San Clemente
In the Parking Lot • First come, first served.

Services Available:

• Medical Care
• Referrals to insurance and clinics
• MSI applications (free adult health insurance)
• Mental Health Counselors and referrals
• Public Health Nursing consultation
• Health Education

Si tu no puedes pagar para ver un doctor….
Si necesitas aseguaranza de salud….
Ven a:
Clinica Mobil Gratis
Miercoles, Junio 17, 5-8:30 pm

En el estacionamiento de abajo de
Saddleback Memorial Medical Center—San Clemente
654 Camino de los Mares, San Clemente

Se atendera a las personas en el orden que vayan llegando
Los Servicios que se ofrecen son:

• Servicios de Medical
• Aseguranza MS I
• Informacion y referencias de los servicios sociales
• Consejeros de Salud Mental
• Consultas para el cuidado de salud publica

Contact info:
Interfaith Homeless Outreach Project for Empowerment
e-mail: info@iHOPEoc.org
TEL: 949.212.4420
FAX: 949.498.2331
iHOPEoc.org

The video artist goes by the name “MeatPunch” on vimeo (links below the video), which is about all I could find about him. Good visual effects work, MeatPunch, (and for your sake, I’m hoping that’s not the name your Momma gave you).

Dana Point Beach Tilt-Shift from MeatPunch on Vimeo.

ONE — There’s a homeless man in Los Angeles I’ve never met, but who by chance appeared on my Twitter screen today. It’s also his birthday. His job ends tomorrow and the shelter he uses closes tomorrow. So, to recap: he’s already homeless, whatever “work” he has ends tomorrow, and his “shelter” closes.

Happy Friday-the-13th birthday, pal.

His reaction?… here’s his tweet from earlier today:

@hardlynormal: “Here’s what I’d like 4 my bday! EVERYONE go do something REALLY NICE 4 a complete stranger then @ back #hnbday. Please retweet”

He’s having a Friday-the-13th nightmare of his own, and yet his focus is on others.

TWO — Another person I follow on Twitter (@kanter) is at the South By Southwest conference (SXSW) and forwarded this presentation under the heading “Is generosity the new corporate greed?” The presentation is from neilperkin.typepad.com.

Press the play button to watch the slideshow…

THREE — Yet another random twitter tweet from a stranger brought his blog posting for today to my screen. Steve Averill is an Orange County technorati type who blogs and markets and writes and generally cajoles the soul… Check this out:

Business Counterculture: Turn On, Tune In, Help Out

And, by the way, that’s just the tip of the generocity iceberg.

Here’s my question — What does generosity mean to you today?